


Hot For Teacher

by ni21



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Forbidden Love, Humor, Jealousy, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Romance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27728417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ni21/pseuds/ni21
Summary: Zoro wasn't interested in relationships, never had been, but that new professor of his might, unfortunately, change his mind on that.Robin didn't get attached, ever. She had some friends, but she would not cry if she never were to see them again. So why couldn't she get her new student out of her head?
Relationships: Nico Robin/Roronoa Zoro, Nico Robin/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 75
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nekkopii](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Nekkopii).



> Hallo and welcome and happy Zorobin day!
> 
> Soooo, since I, unfortunately, scared Nekkopii from Twitter away from Shoganai I asked if I could write something she'd like since I came up completely blank for that Zorobin ficlet I wanted to do. She proposed college AU with jealousy and a happy ending and I admit my mind ran away with me once again... but maybe you like it?
> 
> Now the bad news is... it's not a ficlet. It will be a fic... whoeps
> 
> [There's obviously an age gap and a power imbalance but Zoro is of age]

He wasn't interested in women, never had been. Or men for that matter. Why would he be when he had a goal to work towards? But. The way she talked about the history of their craft, the way her eyes lit up the room when she told them about how the scholars from the past had gone about teaching… It was a little bit like magic. Didn't help that he was pretty sure every single guy in the lecture hall would probably rub one out to her image tonight… Minus Luffy probably, dumbass had fallen asleep the moment she was done introducing herself.

Professor Nico. He wasn't particularly interested in the lecture. Obviously, just needed the credits and it was the only one that fit his schedule. And only because it was close to the math labs. But fuck if he wouldn't be looking forward to this every week. Honestly could listen to that woman for days, no matter that he didn't necessarily understand all the nuances and connections she alluded to.

She was a born teacher, he was sure. Even though she'd come to teaching only as an afterthought. But the way she presented herself, the way she was everywhere in that room and captivated even the last seat. That took a special kind of presence. Her gaze always connecting with theirs, the way she reacted to disturbances in her flow. More an artist than a teacher she kept the flow of the lecture, a conductor maybe.

Until she stopped, dead in her tracks, in the middle of a sentence about sophists' earnings in ancient Greece. A ridiculously cute "oh" sound forming on her lips that carried even back to his own chair. Striking blue eyes on him for just a second before drifting to his right. Oh fuck that.

She smiled, walking up the steps and he felt the most ridiculous embarrassed blush creep up his cheeks as the whole captivated attention of his fellow students followed her up those stairs towards him.

"For someone of the working class that would be 28 years of hard work. If we were living in those times and if Mr. Roronoa's friend here even paid tuition, I'd advise to rather invest in a comfy bed," she continued the lecture, offering him a tissue between two fingers and he knew he should probably react, maybe wake Luffy up or take the tissue that no doubt was for the drooling the boy definitely did all over his shoulder, but instead he sat there in silence like a fucking dumbass because she fucking knew his name.

How did she know his name? Why would she even react to this? Why did she smell like flowers? Fuck. 

He flicked Luffy's forehead because he had to do  _ something _ , preferably anything not having to do with his smiling teacher. The boy startled awake, asked if lunch was ready and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

Sleep still heavy on his eyes the idiot looked between him and professor Nico. Oh please, fuck, don't  _ think _ .

"Is she your girlfriend?" Luffy asked loud enough for everyone to hear and he really should have fucking known. Thinking Luffy never bode well for anyone. He snatched the tissue from Professor Nico's hand, who was entirely too amused by this whole thing, to dab it against the wet spot on his hoodie and smack Luffy over the head with the other hand.

"She's the prof you dumbass."

Immediately the boy's face fell and just briefly he wondered why Luffy would be disappointed by his lack of romantic interest, the boy should know that by now.

"Right, you're still in school… so… no lunch," he grumbled with a pout that shouldn't even be possible for normal human facial muscles.

Of fucking course it was about food.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> Just so you know this au is growing ridiculously big and messy trying to figure out relationships and professions, I'm having a lot of fun!
> 
> Oh, also, it's a mess by default, I've been to university in Germany and have no clue whatsoever how things work elsewhere so... that's what this is based on¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Nico Robin wasn't known for getting overly attached. She did not bond with people and usually kept them at arm's length with a polite smile. Usually she didn't dwell on her interactions with colleagues or students aside from the intellectual exchange and whatever situation she needed to reflect to nourish her professional persona.

If she didn't get attached she couldn't get left. It was that simple and she possessed enough metacognition to know that's where her behaviour stemmed from.

What she didn't understand was how she could still be thinking about the two boys in her class. It's what they were,  _ boys _ . She'd heard about both before the semester had started. When she'd mentioned that interesting name that had struck out in the list of students to her colleague and in hindsight she blamed the fact that she didn't mingle and gossip that she'd never heard of him before.

From what they said he was hard to miss. Professor Dracule's boy, always caught up in one mess or another, most of the time initiated by the boy who'd slept on his shoulder so comfortably as if it was a regular occurrence. A punk, people called him, with his earrings and green hair. He brought trouble, everyone assumed.

She hated every single one of those accusations. She was more than familiar with prejudice. He was neither a punk nor trouble. He was smart. Regularly made it to the top of his class in the math exams, if he showed up that was. He was a fascinating young man, but she couldn't help but wonder why she was more interested in him rather than his dropout friend who obviously was the one calling the shots in their friend group.

It wasn't strictly the first time she'd taken interest in students. She would invest a great deal of time in students she saw potential in. But she knew that Roronoa wasn't in her class because he had an interest in history or philosophy. She knew his subjects, she knew he took her class because he had to take something from the module.

And obviously she knew that it was the alertness in his eyes she thought about, that adorable blush on his cheeks when she'd called him and his friend out. And just maybe she had appreciated how the fabric of his shirt had stretched over his physique.

She just might have a problem.

"You're more in thought than you usually are," Crocodile mused, filling their glasses.

"I am," she agreed. They had worked side by side for long enough that she knew it was no use hiding it from him. She didn't necessarily trust him, trusting an economics and finances professor like him would be foolish almost, but his company was entertaining and if nothing else, even after her habilitation she valued his insight.

He handed her a glass with a chuckle as she sat in one of his leather chairs under his mocking grin. "If I didn't know better, Nico Robin, I'd say you're experiencing a crush."

She scoffed, nipping from her glass. "Don't be silly, I'm not a teenager and I don't have time for things like this."

He laughed, one of his creepy laughs that would cause the whole lecture hall to shudder. "Sure, whatever makes you sleep at night, Robin. Now tell me about that new project of yours."

The problem was, though, that it  _ didn't _ let her sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ghost for betareading and plotbunnying!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> I hope nobody in finance or economics took offence last chapter, but I'm glad the two people vocal about it approve my choice😘
> 
> Writing the following chapters I came to the realisation that everything would have been so much easier for me if I had just put them into sciences as I personally have no clue about history, sports or math🤣 Whoeps ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Anyway, enjoy

He frowned at his phone. Stupid bullshit GPS had lead him in the wrong direction again and Luffy had fucked off to wherever it smelled so nice. Fuck this. Who'd set a lecture to happen in a damn park anyways?

Professor Nico, that's who. Because that's what Aristotle or whoever the fuck would have done.

He didn't even care for her class. Or any of that part of his studies if he was being honest. None of this was necessary for his job. Three fucking years of studies to essentially learn 'Don't be an asshole'. Fucking pointless. Sure the psychology classes did come in handy but why the hell would he need to know about Greeks and their ways to teach? Fucking pointless. Only needed to write an essay about one topic from her lectures anyway so why the fuck did he even bother showing up?

Definitely not because he had a late sprout of puberty like his sister had suggested. Fucking brat. Couldn't believe she was 4 years older than him, with that childishness.

Turning on the spot and frowning some more, he decided that trying to find his class now, already half an hour late would be pointless. Might get a nap in instead before heading to Law's anatomy class.

Couldn't fucking believe that his smartass senior had actually stuck around to teach. He'd whipped his ass in kendo class only to get stuck with the asshole tutoring him to make it into university. Obviously his old man had his best interest in mind back then but fucking Trafalgar Law of all people… Couldn't complain, shouldn't, he'd gotten into the university he's wanted to.

But to get taught by the arrogant prick again? Oh hell no. Fuck that. Luck didn't seem to favour him much lately.

"I missed you during my lecture, Mr Roronoa."

Nope. Didn't fucking favour him at all.

The fuck was she doing here, had he really slept that long? Opened his eyes to see her standing there in the sun, legs longer than they had a right to be and her eyes sparkling with that same teasing glint as weeks ago in her first lecture.

So maybe Perona was wrong about the late onset of puberty, but even he couldn't deny that the woman standing there in front of him was hot as fuck. In fact he'd never denied it, but maybe he had a bit of a problem.

"It was nice here," he said getting up and wiping the grass from his pants. Still had to look up to her, just how fucking tall was that woman?

She hummed, "hm, that was the reason why I held the lecture outside, in the sun. You didn't get lost by any chance, did you, Mr Roronoa?"

What the– Fucking– The fucking nerve!

"You see, you have quite the reputation with your friend and a history of not showing up to lectures or exams even. Considering your otherwise good grades one would think your absences are not on purpose."

Fucking knew she was smart the first time she'd opened her mouth. Just never expected her to use it against him. All Luffy's fucking fault. Pretty sure she wouldn't have even noticed him sitting there in the last row if Luffy hadn't drooled all over him that first week. And now her eyes found his every single lecture and he wasn't exactly sure if it was a good thing. Her lecture was at full capacity, he was one of hundreds of students. And still no matter where he sat she'd always find him sooner or later.

And also, quite obviously, she also found him when he wasn't even in her lecture. Was almost creepy, as if she could sprout eyes all over the place to find her target.

He liked her attention on him in a way he couldn't quite explain. Especially not since, thanks to his sister he knew for a fact that he was not a fan of teasing.

Maybe it was different if the woman wasn't related… Or if she was hot…

Fuck. This semester might just ruin him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ghost for the beta also, I forgot, for coming up with the name, did it sound familiar to you? Well it better, if not check out the [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4_Ommfvv0)
> 
> Also maybe drop by my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nitwentyone?s=09) someday?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> I'm really surprised this got this many readers so soon, thank you for joining us in this madness xD

She had not been worried that she could pick him out among the mass of students in an instant. Curious, but not worried. It was an easy feat, he was the only one with bright green hair after all.

Now, she was worried. Green hair, green jacket and dark muddy jeans against grass should not have registered in her brain like it had. There was absolutely no way this was still normal. Especially not since… she could lie to herself during her lectures, that she only recognised him as easily because she saw him in the context of the lecture. But in the park? Half a kilometre away from where she'd held the lecture while he was basically in camouflage?

This was indeed worrisome. He was a student.

There were no excuses whatsoever to have him on her mind all the time. But when she saw him on campus, hanging around with his friends, the usual grumpy concentration she knew from her lectures exchanged for a carefree, happy smile? Yes, no excuses whatsoever.

She'd barely even spoken five sentences with the boy. The boy. It made her flinch even though she'd consciously taken to refer to him like that. As a reminder of how inappropriate her infatuation with him was. 19 years old. He did look older than that. With the frown he carried everywhere and not even in the seclusion of her brain did she dare to think about how his physique was not boyish at all.

Maybe she should start dating. A ridiculous notion in itself. She hadn't dated ever, she didn't need that kind of distraction in her life. And she most certainly didn't need feelings for people that would just leave her in the end. 

Stirring her coffee she crumpled the book club invitation she'd been handed two days ago. She was flattered having received one of those few invitations but she could not in good conscience partake in such an event. Not when she was unexplainably attached to the host's son and especially not when it would happen at his house.

The boy would think she was stalking him. Some weird old, creepy lady following him even to his home.

It was a shame, really, Dracule was good company. Similar to crocodile but with fewer ulterior motives. She had met him a few times at cross faculty meetings. She could just try and date him to get her mind off his boy.

She scoffed, right, because it wasn't like that exact plot was part of about 11 books in her guilty pleasure library.

This was silly. Ridiculous almost. She was a grown woman, which in hindsight might be the actual problem, but the point was, she shouldn't allow this type of thing to influence her life. If she wanted to discuss 19th century literature with a select few like-minded people she should do so. 

Roronoa was interesting because he didn't fit in her schematics of the world. From his looks he should be a delinquent getting into streetfights regularly. Going with his family's academic background he should be a studious, bright light thirsting for more knowledge. Like her. But he seemed to be neither. And both. And she knew she loved mysteries to solve and Roronoa was such a mystery. It was as simple as that.

It was just very unfortunate that he was so attractive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed, the next updates will probably be a bit slower from now on. But I'm still having fun!  
> Again, thanks to Ghost for beta reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> _The plot thickens!_
> 
> Have fun, there's a lil self promo at the end, hope you don't mind😅

It only took a quiet appreciative "oh" from his friend to know with complete certainty that bringing Nami along to the lecture had been a mistake.

He could basically hear both the gears in her head turning and the sploosh in her panties. Why the fuck did he think bringing the lesbian to his lecture with the hot prof was a good idea? Because Luffy was away and Nami was the only one available to show him the way. Damn it.

"So that's why you're always spacing out lately," she snickered.

"I'm not, witch."

He ignored her giggles and instead concentrated on that smooth voice carrying from below and the way Professor Nico's lips articulated every syllable and fucking hell he really might be spacing out.

"So did you call dibs on her or can I try my luck?"

What the fuck? He knew that teasing tone of her voice, knew it shouldn't tie his belly into knots, but he also knew that his professor was his friend's type and he really should have known bringing her along was a mistake.

"Do what you want, she's my Prof," he answered with the quiet tone the situation fucking called, for unlike a certain eccentric redhead.

He's never been interested in dating, still wasn't, yet he hated how true his statement was. Because even if he hypothetically were interested in the woman, he couldn't make a move because it would endanger her career. Not that a woman like her would be interested in a guy that just got out of puberty. Nah, a woman like her probably wanted someone with more class or something. Not that he cared.

When Nami clutched his left arm to show him just how sad she was for his tragic, nonexistent love life he switched his pen to the right as to not miss one single word from Prof Nico and holy fuck how he hated this. Why the fuck did he even take notes? He never took notes for these crappy lectures.

Weren't crappy though. She actually made history interesting. Didn't mind her digressing into philosophy every now and then. Basically grew up with that shit in the Dojo… should have just stayed at the dojo instead of coming to live with his old man… wouldn't have to deal with this bullshit then.

Also wouldn't have to deal with the witch teasing him and making up debts everywhere she went, or with Luffy stealing his lunch and using him as a pillow or a climbing wall. Wouldn't have to act as a human shield for Usopp or have to deal with the shitty cook fawning over everything that just so happened to have tits. And he could train as he wished without Chopper nagging that he should take it slower because injuries and ah fuck.

Nah, he wouldn't want that. Any of that. Seemed that he'd just have to be a damn adult and stop drooling about his  _ crush _ . Fuck, if even half the things Nami was saying about his behaviour were true then he was well on his way to Ero-cook behaviour. Couldn't have that.

No. No. Actually he was nothing like the shitty Bastard. Wasn't just that she was pretty. He didn't care for pretty. Never had and while his stance on a general interest in women was kinda standing on very thin ice right now, he saw absolutely no reason whatsoever why it should be her looks that drew him in. Knew how fucking fragile looks were. Nah, didn't care for shit like that.

Liked to think that she didn't either with the lack of face paint she was using. Something one really only saw up close because even from a distance her long, dark eyelashes- Oh for fuck's sake!

Bumped into Nami with a sigh, head resting on her shoulder. "Would be easier if I was gay like Ero-cook thinks. There's legit no attractive guys teaching," he mumbled and got a condescending pat on his head for that.

"Don't worry, if you were gay you'd probably pine over Law, with all that homoerotic tension with the swordfighting and the tutoring and all that."

"Law's an arrogant cunt" he said, sitting straight again. Shouldn't have expected anything else from Nami though.

She shrugged, "you'd probably find that charming.

"Sure," he agreed just for this conversation to be over, and definitely not just so he could fully focus on the last few sentences of the lecture.

"And with this little thought, I'll leave you for today. Mull it over a bit, bring it to dinner, it really gives room to wonderful discourse even outside of this university setting. I'll see you next week." Nico ended her lecture for the day. Fucking finally. Not that he couldn't listen to her for hours, but fucking finally.

He stuffed his shit in his bag and dragged Nami down the steps of the lecture hall, hoping that if he just got her out fast enough she wouldn't get the chance to embarrass him.

"Ah, Mr Roronoa!"

Fuck. He stopped in his tracks, hand still clasped around Nami's wrist and he could be wrong, but Prof definitely had looked at that connection with a certain scrutiny. Yeah, no, he was probably wrong.

"Would you tell your father that I'm grateful to the invitation and am looking forward to the meeting?" She asked with a polite smile that just didn't sit right with him.

Weird.

He answered with a nod and a grunt, dragging Nami outside before she could explode in a fit of giggles fawning over the drama and heartache.

Fuck his old man and that shitty book club of his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you aren't disappointed yet, seriously haven't expected this much readership😅
> 
> Updates will be slow now. Why? Glad you asked. An artist friend and I are doing a Christmas thingy, so if you got Twitter, all you have to do to participate is to drop us a ship and a prompt/scene in the comments of the [SFW](https://twitter.com/Shinjinou1/status/1331559379842330625?s=09) version, and/or a ship and a kink in the comments of the [NSFW](https://twitter.com/Oochinshin/status/1331560004286107656?s=09) version and if you're lucky you'll get a little ficlet by yours truly and an art piece by the wonderful [Shin](https://twitter.com/Shinjinou1) for that scene!
> 
> Either way I hope to see you all soon


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> Once again I am threading that fine line between humour and crackfic, have fun!

It was not surprising that Professor Dracule's manor was dripping with thick gothic charme. It was simultaneously that house at the end of the street children would dare each other to come closer as well as the type of home girls in their teens would daydream about.

She had to admit that wrinkles aside, Professor Dracule would also make a magnificent vampire. It  _ was _ surprising, that it was Dracule himself who greeted her at the door. She had almost expected a butler, or maybe even dreaded it could be his son. Could one even call it a greeting though?

The man looked her up and down with a scrutiny that made her skin crawl. Not the sexual kind that she knew, but the kind that made you feel as if you just weren't good enough to breathe the same air as him. Magnificent vampire indeed.

"You can leave your gift at the table, follow me," he said -or was it an order?- guesturing to the small side table with a marble top already littered with bottles of wine.

Decadent.

"I'm afraid, Professor Dracule, I did not bring a gift. I assumed any wine I could pick would pale against the ones in your fabled cellar," she explained what had felt like a very logical and good idea when she'd stood in front of the winery's display. Now, under that golden gaze, she was not so sure anymore.

But then a smile tugged at his lips that was not unlike the smile she'd see on his son occasionally, and he nodded.

"Mihawk is fine. You are correct, this wine here will go to the brats," he informed her, with amusement clear in his voice as he headed deeper into the house.

It was beautiful. Tapestries lining the walls, aged oil paintings, plush carpets but not cluttered. Classy. Every single antique deliberately chosen and placed so it could get all the attention it deserved. She would very much like to have the opportunity to explore this house someday, all the hidden treasures it could hold, the stories it could tell of kingdoms past and unlucky fortunes.

When she'd received the letter with the club's project she'd been confused and irritated. A juvenile prank, surely. Some initiation rite for the newest member. An elitist book club such as this couldn't possibly read and discuss children's books, comics no less. But she had been determined to play along, every bit of literature, media in general, was always a product of its circumstances and while she couldn't fathom them reading it she would make an argument for this series. But then she'd been smacked in the face with her own prejudice, had devoured volume after volume, fully drawn in by that tale of adventure and corruption, enamoured with characters so ridiculous yet so relatable and captivated by their will to push through every hardship to reach their dreams.

Of course it could be read by children, but the subtext, the blatant themes of racism and bigotry, the way this crew battled all of those without actually being heroes… If this was a prank it was a bad one indeed, but as she followed Mihawk through his home, hearing muffled voices argue ahead, she came to the conclusion that they took the series as seriously as she did now.

She picked out Crocodile's voice with ease, arguing that the boy would end up with the desert princess and she couldn't help the chuckle. Of all people she had not assumed her old mentor would be one to start shipping characters. He'd never even mentioned the series to her during their talks and now he argued over romantic interests? Wonderful.

"Ah, I don't think so, the boy has been set up with his navigator from the beginning," an unfamiliar voice contradicted but was immediately answered by a hoarse cackle.

"You boys obviously haven't read the same series as I have, that navigator is a lesbian if I've ever seen one," the woman argued.

They entered the salon, all mahogany and silk and leather, as to be expected from the rest of the house she'd seen.

Crocodile was lounging in a plush leather chair, and the– the actual chancellor of the university reclining across from him while an elderly lady in a crop top browsed through an assortment of spirits in the corner, the head of medicine she assumed.

"Could you not scare off our newest addition with your silly shipping wars?" Mihawk drawled and all attention was on her.

"Oh," Kureha said, pulling the cork from a bottle with her teeth, and Robin could feel Mihawk flinch next to her, "Are ya saying I'm no longer the only lady in this sausage party? 'bout damn time, boy."

"Don't be such a bore, Mihawk, I'm sure Robin has her own favourites." Cobra entered from the adjourning room, tumbler in his hand. They'd had some scientific disputes in the past but now with his gentle smile and casual clothes the head of the Egyptology department put her at ease. There was no actual reason for her to be nervous about anything, she just got uneasy with meeting too many new people at once, which was funny considering all the new students she met on a daily basis, but this was different.

She returned Cobra's smile, she would just focus on him and Crocodile today, and thanked Kureha for a way too full glass of no doubt high quality red wine.

"Actually, I believe the series' romance lies in the adventure," she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ghost for the beta.
> 
> Those of you who have twitter are still invited to participate in the Christmas giveaway thing I linked last chapter💚


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> Did someone order cheese and silliness? No? Oh well, it's already here, might as well take it, right?

Fuck this shit. Should have known not to spar with Tashigi when he was worked up like that. Always walking around with her kind smiles and big ass heart, fucking merciless is what she was. Fuck. Pulled off his soaked shirt on his way to the bathroom while her car was carefully inching out the driveway. No fucking idea who allowed a woman as clumsy as her to actually drive.

Damn, she'd done a number on him. Honestly it was to be expected, they took training seriously. Ah, but judging by the already deep purple over his ribs, she might have had the edge today. Wasn't his fucking fault that his hot professor was sipping wine with his old man on the other side of the house. Old man that probably suited her taste much more than he did.

The hot water did barely anything to relax the tension he'd felt all day. It was ridiculous, it was silly and he was too old for crap like that.

Wrapped a towel around his waist because of fucking course he had forgotten to get clothes beforehand. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't his day today. First Luffy had stolen his lunch in its entirety. Because he was a fucking bastard if you asked Zoro, because he'd been too busy dreaming if you asked Nami, which was bullshit of course. Then he'd gotten his ass whooped by Tashigi of all people. Not that she was bad, she wasn't, but fucking hell she wasn't supposed to stand a chance against him, damn it. And now he'd forgotten his clothes and… Why was he on the ground floor?

What the fuck was wrong with this place? Shit moving around all the time, what the fuck? Was oddly quiet, too. None of the excited chatter of half drunk professors lulling through the rooms…

A sigh behind him, a throaty cackle. Fuck him. He turned around, the disapproving look of his father on him, softened only by the slightest hint of affection none of them could see.

"That boy, always teasing. Do a young lady the favour and lose that towel one of these days," the old crone that definitely didn't dress her age laughed and the hairs in his neck stood on edge. But it didn't even matter because he could feel  _ her _ eyes on him, mapping the scars and bruises. And it wasn't the first time he'd somehow found himself in the middle of the old man's book club, but usually it wasn't that bad; the old hag and the guy in the robes would offer him some of the drinks and laugh it off while the others just kept the conversation going but this time? He fucking needed to get out of there ASAP, especially if  _ she _ kept looking at him like that. In that way that made him assume all kinds of things. A way that made it so easy to convince himself that she wanted what he–

He didn't want her. That was stupid.

"You wish, old hag," he said, turning tail and cursing himself for not having at least grabbed a bottle or two. No, was probably better to stay sober, who knew what kind of ideas he'd get if he drank now.

In his room that had taken him way too fucking long to reach he put on pants and fell on his bed. She'd looked fucking  _ fine _ . But she always did, didn't she? In her tight jeans and blouses, the skirts... Oh fuck him! This was bad.

A knock on his door startled him awake.

"What?" he asked, knowing by the fact that the person knocking was respecting his privacy enough not to rip the door off the hinges after the first knock that it was the old man and not his bratty ass sister.

"Get dressed. I need you to drive Robin home," his father said with traces of wine evident in his voice.

Fuck this day. Grabbed a shirt from the floor, didn't smell too bad.

"Why?" he asked, starting down the stairs after the old man. Fucking hated how his father would make demands at his door but never stayed to listen to his answers "can't she just take a cab?"

"Please, Mihawk, he's right, I'll just call an Uber, this is not necessary," she argued but his father scoffed.

"Nonsense, Robin. It's been a while, but I believe that unless it's a hook-up, it is still custom to take a woman out to dinner before showing oneself in any state of undress like that in front of her. Least he can do is drive you home."

Oh fuck you too, old man. What the fuck? He felt the heat on his face, but it wasn't that bad, because she looked absolutely adorable with the same blush creeping up her neck.

"Really, it's alright."

"It's fine, you came with your own car, right? If you got an Uber you'd have to get it tomorrow. I can drive you, I'll run back home," he said. And why the fuck did he? What was he even thinking?

"Good. And use the damn sat nav, boy."

Ah, yes. Fuck you too old man. Fuck you too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ghost for the beta.
> 
> Also I'm really sorry Nekkopii, the niveau of this fic probably won't improve 😅 I'm having too much fun. But! I still got that T rating!.... Except... Maybe?... Nah... Or?... Nah. I'm good. I can do this!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> Lol, you all feel way too safe with all the funny silliness. Did you forget the other relationship tag? The jealousy? My lovely readers, please enjoy the silly fluff while it lasts  
> 

She should be ashamed of herself. But at the same time she was relieved, because had he noticed her behaviour to be anything but appropriate, he wouldn't have agreed to drive her home, would he? If he'd noticed her eyes on his half naked body that looked so much better than in her imagination, he would not have agreed to sit here with her, alone for the twenty minute drive.

If she had been inappropriate Mihawk wouldn't have insisted on his son spending twenty minutes with her unsupervised.

It was all in her head, too. If he felt the same he wouldn't have agreed either, too dangerous a situation to put themselves in.

What was  _ she _ doing here then? Sitting in the passenger seat with her hands firmly in her lap, eyes glued to the road ahead that she could swear wasn't leading to her home. 

Nico Robin loved silence. Being alone with her thoughts that ran too fast to articulate properly, following little wisps of ideas to full fledged castles of thought, playing through impossible hypotheticals… She loved those quiet moments.

But somehow the silence in the car was unbearable. It felt wrong. She could hear her heart in her ears and a lulling voice in the back of her mind telling her how easy it would be to just lean over on the next red light and–

"How did you get that scar?" she asked instead of making a drunk fool out of herself.

But this was really just as bad because he laughed, that happy loud laugh she'd only ever seen from a distance when he was with his peers.

"Got cocky with the old man and insisted we use real swords," he answered as if it wasn't a big deal he at some point in his life had almost been cleaved in half by his own father. And why did she have to pick a topic of conversation that would conjure the image of his naked torso? An image that had burned itself into her retinas.

"Sword fighting, is that what you do for fun?"

He gave an affirming grunt "Yeah, back in Japan, when I was a kid, it was a way to feel closer to the ol– Yeah."

Ah, opening up too much, wasn't he? She'd known Mihawk had won a few championships in his youth, before he'd decided to go academic. To think his son had taken up the same craft just to feel close to his father. It was sweet.

"You grew up in Japan?" 

He kept his answer at the grunt. She knew she wouldn't get any more out of him tonight. Or ever, because this was a weird and unique situation they'd never be in again. From here on out it would only be her in the pit of the lecture hall and him somewhere in the mass of students in front of her. It was better that way.

It didn't matter that she would be dreaming of that body and think about the cute blush on his cheeks. He may be old enough, but she was well aware that she was  _ too _ old. She was well aware that she was in a position of power over him as long as he needed a grade. She was aware that this had no future. It was better this way. And it didn't matter at all how that drunk voice in her mind fawned over how kissable his lips looked and how good it would feel to fall asleep on that chest.

It didn't matter. It couldn't be.

He pulled up at her apartment roughly sixty minutes, three U-turns, and four recalculated routes later.

"Are you sure you'll be fine running home? It took you three times the actual time to get here, I can call you an Uber," she offered, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"If my path changes it will be more training," he said with a scoff already out the door. She'd never heard a more philosophical description of getting lost. He truly was fascinating.

It didn't matter.

She was two steps up to her apartment before he called her.  _ Professor _ , he called her.

It couldn't be.

She looked back, found him at the bottom of the stairs, hand stretched out with her keys on his palm.

"Old man would have my head if I took them with me and had you freeze out here," he grunted.

Such kissable lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ghost for the beta!  
> 🤔 Wonder what'll happen next...


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

There was a spark in her eyes he couldn't quite place when she took her keys from his hand.

"Would your old school father also want you to kiss me goodnight on the steps to my apartment like in the cheesy movies?" she teased like he was fucking sure she wouldn't if she knew what was going on in his head.

What has been going through his head the whole sixty minutes of their ride; how she was probably too tall to fuck her in the backseat. Not that he had any idea on how to do that but fuck if he hadn't wanted to.

He snorted a fake laugh, because there really was nothing to laugh about because he  _ wanted _ to. Because those lips of hers looked so soft, so inviting. "Couldn't even if I wanted to, you're a damn tree, woman."

She laughed from so high above him, two steps and heels he didn't know why she wore in the first place. "Why of course, I wouldn't want you to sprain your neck. Or worse, break it while you trip over the steps."

Right, right. Stupid shit like that would only have him end up like Kuina, strongest person he'd known back then defeated by fucking stairs… But at least he didn't have to think with his cock anymore and the next laugh came easy to him. "You're a damn creepy lady you know tha–"

Her lips on his were the softest thing he'd ever felt, made his heart rabbit in his chest like not even the most exciting fights did. 

He'd daydreamed about this, had gone full fucking Ero-cook in his thoughts. Didn't come close though. Was nothing special, nothing hungry and wild that would make them tumble into her bedroom, knocking over lamps and shit like in the movies Perona made him watch. But maybe that was his own fault, because he was just standing there with no clue on what to do, just hoping it wouldn't end. Ever.

Pressed up against her, sucked on her bottom lip because he assumed that's what he was supposed to do and she didn't seem to mind as her soft, soft hands rested on his cheeks, burrowed into his hair and pulled him closer. And she smelled like flowers and tasted like– fuck.

The fuck were they even doing? He was only here because she was too drunk to drive, the fuck was he thinking?

Put his hands on her cheeks, so soft and perfect he was almost afraid he'd hurt her just by contact with his calloused hands alone. Tried not to let her disappointed whine get to him as he pushed her away. Fuck, he didn't want to either.

"You're drunk, Professor," he said, still way too close to her. Still feeling her alcoholised breath ghosting over his face and absolutely not prepared for the fundamental sadness settling in her eyes.

Sure a woman like her probably wasn't used to being turned down, but did she have to make it that so fucking difficult? Pretty sure that if she wasn't drunk he'd have slung her over his shoulder and carried her to her apartment by now. Professor-student relationship be damned. But she had to know, right? She was smart like that, she had to know how that could fuck her career over, had to know she couldn't just agree to that drunk. Fuck. She probably wouldn't even want him if she wasn't.

She pulled back. Those beautiful, expressive eyes closing off and the fake smile on her lips had no chance to reach them.

"Right, Mr. Roronoa, I apologize, I'm not used to drinking so much. Thank you for driving me home," she said with a voice so distant it almost hurt.

Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ghost for the beta!
> 
> .... Am I annoying you lot with the updates? I could probably just stock them up and drop them at once or something...


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo and welcome back!
> 
> So... This is super short and unpleasant, but I'm kinda a bit burnt out from the Christmas thing so it won't get better and Twitter told me it's _someone's_ birthday today so time is of the essence. So happy birthday, but maybe don't read yet because this is where the drama starts😅
> 
> Thanks to SomethingGhosty for the beta!

They knew. They had to know. Everyone who knew Nico Robin, everyone who'd ever listened to one of her lectures had to know that something was off.

Scanning the mass of students in front of her she'd lost train of her argument twice, she never did. Not when her eyes would find the green haired boy with one friend or another draped over him or clinging to him in some way while he tried to jot down notes and ignore the friends she now, one excessively long car ride later, knew were only there to ensure he actually found the lecture.

But now, when her habitual search for bright green came up short she tumbled her words. They  _ had  _ to know something was wrong.

What had she done? She knew it had to be because of her actions. Because of her transgressions. He didn’t just skip class, he had a whole support system in place to get him where he needed to be. Apart from her park lecture it hadn’t failed him once this semester. She knew, because Roronoa not missing a single class was the main source of entertainment in faculty meetings. It probably wasn't the morally right thing to do, but as it stood she definitely did not have the moral highground and it provided her with extra evidence, that she had… fucked up. Big time.

Had he told others? Had he told his father? No she'd know that by now. It's been four days. She hadn't been called to answer for her crime yet and with the zero tolerance policy of the university she definitely would have heard by now.

She should quit. If it had happened with him once, alcohol or not, nothing could guarantee she wouldn't do it again. Or with another student.

Of all the people… she  _ knew _ what it was like to be taken advantage of, what it was like to be the powerless one in a relationship that was this unbalanced. How could she? How could she do such a despicable thing to another person?

Maybe she should confess to Crocodile at least. He'd know what to do. He'd known what to do back then. She couldn't have Roronoa drop out of university because she was incapable of distancing herself. Of being an adult about that silly little crush.

He'd be a wonderful teacher one day. With all that grumpy patience he'd showed his friends during her lectures…

Crocodile was her best bet. He'd seen all the signs with her. He'd know what to do. He wouldn't let her walk a self destructive path again, no matter that this time it was going in the exact opposite direction.


	11. Chapter 11

He had a problem. A big one. Huge actually. She'd been drunk,  _ he _ didn't have any excuse. None whatsoever. Couldn't fucking show his face at her lecture again. No way in hell. She may have been drunk but not blackout drunk. Fuck.

"So you’re just going to mope in your room now?"

"Fuck you," he said, throwing his pillow at his sister standing in the door. Wasn't as if she'd understand, was it. What grown ass woman preferred a teddy bear over human company anyways? One that was lost one too many times, he knew and sighed. No reason to be an ass like that, she meant well. However fucking twisted it came out of her mouth.

"I'm not going to tell you, Perona," he said, turning on his belly to rest his forehead on his arms.

"Did you fuck her?"

Could fucking feel the heat creeping up his neck. Should deny it instantly, but fuck if he hadn't thought about it. Before that night, afterwards. Was a lost cause.

Pillow dropped next to his head and the mattress dipped low next to him where she sat down to pat his shoulder.

"It's fine, you don't have to be ashamed. There's a first time for everything and I’m sure you'll get it up ne-"

"The fuck is wrong with you?!" he interrupted before she could finish

Fucking brat. In fact, if that had been his problem it wouldn't be a fucking problem. Damn it. Pretty sure the opposite was the problem. 

"What do you want?" he asked with a sigh, no use trying to fight her like this.

"Tashigi called, because if you don't get your shit together soon she'll need a new sparring partner."

He scoffed. Sure, he had the bruises to prove he wasn't all there but she sure as fuck wouldn't have said that. Not like that at least.

"Also, Nami called and asked if she can make a move now that you're done playing."

Yeah right, witch was taunting him for a reaction, wasn't she?

"Also also, she said that if you don't get your ass to lectures soon she'll up your debt." She babbled, way too fast, way too excited.

"Didn't want to worry you all," he explained, turning back onto his back to look at her, even though he had a feeling he didn't actually want to see her reaction. "We kissed, is all."

Her eyes widened and she did that shitty squealing noise she did when she found something cute and yeah, he didn't want to see that. "Stop that, Perona, it's not cute."

"Shut up! Yes it is! My little brother is growing up!" she laughed, smacking his shoulder and jumping from his bed.

Fucking regretted telling her already. Hated to worry her too though, so it was more a question of which was the lesser evil. She sat back down, serious again. "So what are you going to do?" She asked in a rare onslaught of maturity.

"Nothing. I'll write my essay and drop it by her office end of semester. And then I'll never see her again. It's no big deal," he brushed off her question, as if he hadn't indeed spent a week moping and thinking of 'what ifs'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! If you want to know ahead of time when a new chap is in the works or maybe put silly ideas in my head or just chat with other shippers join our [ZoRobin discord](https://discord.gg/azmUH8xrc4)! I don't care if you don't feel like I mean you. I _do_ mean _you_
> 
> Thanks to SomethingGhosty for the beta!


	12. Chapter 12

Crocodile was not happy. Not that he ever looked truly happy, but it has been a long time since he'd cast such a disapproving look over his whiskey tumbler. At her of all people. She deserved it without a doubt, but it was unsettling nonetheless. He'd always had her back, even when he'd still been her Professor.

"I'm not going to tell you that you should know better, Robin, but you do owe that young man an apology," he said after a drag of his cigar.

Oh, she did, most certainly. She'd been ready to take him aside after her lecture but he hadn't been there, and the longer it took the heavier lay the guilt in her gut and the harder the mere thought of apologizing got. Surely she had ruined some part of his life. She knew she'd abused his trust, had trespassed that border that should be ironclad. No matter how many cheesy romance novels about office romances and the likes she read. It had been wrong and she had no right for forgiveness. Intoxication was not an excuse.

She loved those books because they were cathartic; because the women in the position of weakness were the heroines. Because they tamed their predators into loving, devoted men that were nothing like what she had experienced. It had been like claiming victory for herself and now what? Now she's become what she'd despised, now she's become the predator.

"Look, Robin, Kureha has that young prodigy under her wings that needs to get laid badly, her words not mine, something about being too irritable to be left alone with patients which is damn rich coming from her. But, maybe a proper date with someone closer to your age would do you some good once in a while," he suggested and she wasn't quite sure whether he was talking about himself or Zoro.

A date. As if that would help her any. That prodigy would have to be something else if he was supposed to get her thoughts away from the bright pink on Zoro's cheeks. From the way that scar on his chest begged all the innocent eyes to follow down his torso. From the way his shirts bulged over muscles. From the way, he was just masculine perfection. From how absolutely lickable that fresh out the shower chest had looked. Had he not looked so genuinely confused back then, hadn't all the other guests reacted the way they had, she might have accused him of taunting her with that entry.

No, he wasn't like that. Not that she knew him at all. Not that she didn't have silly little daydreams about getting to know him better over the companionable silence of a longer than necessary car ride.

"Damn it, Robin."

Shit. So much for the ironclad self-control, she was so known for. Only when sober, obviously. Drifting off like that truly wasn't like her.

"If it wasn't for him going to your lecture this really wouldn't be such a big deal, boy is 19 and knows how to look out for himself, he'll be fine. Just get yourself sorted out, for fuck's sake. Going all dreamy like that… I _will_ ask Kureha to set something up with her little punk."

She took a deep breath. Yes, Zoro wasn't alone like she had been, he wasn't dependent on her like she had been. Unlike her back then, he was old enough to leave and never look back. Unlike her back then, she was pretty sure he knew what real affection looked like. And unlike _him_ back then, she had no intention of isolating Zoro or even pursue this immoral infatuation with him. Zoro would be fine, she just had to get herself sorted out, and maybe this blind date wasn't that bad an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ghost for the beta!
> 
> Join the [ZoRobin discord](https://discord.gg/azmUH8xrc4), we got quite a few writers and artists by now, you won't regret! I am however obligated to issue a warning:  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to ghost for betareading, also do yourself a favour and check out [nekkopii](https://twitter.com/nekkopii) because her art is so soft and beautiful
> 
> How about joining the brand-new [ZoRobin discord](https://discord.gg/azmUH8xrc4)?


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